Valve upper part

ABSTRACT

The valve upper part has a head piece (1), a spindle (2) and a valve piston (3). The valve piston (3) can move axially in the head piece (1). The spindle (2) can rotate in the head piece (1). Spindle (2) and valve piston (3) are connected together via a movement thread (24, 32). The movement of the valve piston (3) in the axial direction is limited by a stop arranged internally on the head piece (1) and arranged externally on the spindle (2) in the same cross-sectional plane. For axial location, the valve piston (3) and the head piece (1) each have a polyhedron (31; 14) which is formed by teeth which are triangular in cross-section and which interlink. When the valve piston (3) is closed the sealing is hydrostatic by means of a sealing ring (42) retained in the head piece (1).

The invention relates to a valve upper part for fittings, in which anaxially movable valve piston and a rotary spindle which are connectedtogether via a thread are placed in a head piece, in which interlinkingpolyhedra are provided on the valve piston and in the head piece foraxial placement and a stop is provided to limit the axial movement andin which a sealing ring which projects beyond the front face of the headpiece facing the inlet and is designed on the projecting outer frontface as a surface for its rest position on a valve face of the fittingis retained by the head piece.

The discharge of water from sanitary fittings, for example, iscontrolled with the aid of valve upper parts. For this purpose the valveupper part is screwed into the housing of the sanitary fitting by meansof its head piece; a rotary handle or a lever is placed on its spindle.

A valve upper part of the kind mentioned above is known (see US-PS 40 64904). The known valve upper part has two opposing surfaces for placingthe valve piston in the head piece. The axial movement of the valvepiston is limited by means of a ring that is retained in the head piece,projects over the outer front face with a projection and projects into arotary handle on which a projection pointing radially inwards ismoulded. In the case of the known valve upper part, the approach pointof the valve piston to the seal cannot be accurately fixed. A furtherdrawback is the fact that the rotary handle is required in order tolimit the axial movement; this means that only certain rotary handlescan be used and thus limits the application of the valve upper part.

This is where the invention intends to provide assistance. The object ofthe invention is to design a valve upper part of the above-mentionedkind in such a way that the approach point of the valve piston to theseal, which can, moreover, be designed as a geometrically simple seal,e.g. with round or square cross-section, can be accurately fixed. Thisobject is achieved according to the invention in that the axial movementof the valve piston is limited by a stop arranged internally in the headpiece and externally on the spindle, in the same cross-sectional plane,and that the internal polyhedron of the head piece and the externalpolyhedron of the valve piston is formed by teeth which are designed asequilateral triangles in the front view.

The design of a polyhedron for guiding a valve cone in a valve chamberas a triangle in cross-section is essentially known (cf. DE-GM 18 27237).

The internal polyhedron on the head piece and the external polyhedron onthe valve piston which engages in this internal polyhedron are providedfor axially guiding the valve piston so as to prevent distortion and foraccurately fixing its approach point to the sealing ring which projectsover the front face of the head piece facing the inlet. The axialmovement of the valve piston in the direction of this front face andhence of a valve face of the fitting is limited by the stop which isformed by a stop surface on the spindle on the one hand and by a stopsurface in the head piece on the other hand. The stop surfaces come torest when the spindle is rotated in the direction of closure. The restposition is the closed position of the valve upper part. With a number mof teeth on the polyhedron and with a pitch n of the movement threadbetween valve piston and spindle, the accuracy with which the approachpoint of the valve piston to the seal can be fixed is the ratio m/n. Inthe opposite direction also, i.e. in the return stroke, the axialmovement of the valve piston is limited by the stop, viz. bycounter-stop surfaces in the spindle and the head piece. It isadvantageous to select the stops in such a way that the angle ofrotation of the spindle is approx. 270° . The angle of rotation of thespindle can then be set to any angle under 270° by means of a settingscrew and a stop pin in the spindle.

Embodiments and further developments of the invention are described inthe sub-claims. An example of an embodiment of the invention isdescribed in greater detail below and is shown in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an enlarged longitudinal section of a valve upper partconnected to a sanitary fitting, one half showing the valve upper partin the closed condition and the other half in the open condition,

FIGS. 2a-2c shows the spindle of the valve upper part:

2a) is a side view, partially in longitudinal section

2b) is a horizontal section through B--B

2c) is a side view rotated through 90° with respect to a),

FIG. 3 shows the valve piston of the valve upper part, one half inlongitudinal section, one half as a side view,

FIGS. 4a-4c shows the head piece of the valve upper part:

4a) is a section through A--A

4b) shows one half in longitudinal section and the other half as a sideview

4c) shows a front view.

The valve upper part selected as an example of an embodiment essentiallyhas three parts which are connected together and located with respect toeach other, viz. a head piece 1, a spindle 2 passing centrally throughthe head piece 1 and located radially in it and a valve piston 3 screwedonto the spindle 2 and axially located in the head piece 1.

The head piece 1 comprises a symmetrical hollow body whose two frontfaces are open-see FIGS. 1 and 4a-4c. Approximately in the centre thehead piece 1 has an external thread 11 with which it can be screwed intothe housing of a sanitary fitting 6 shown only with a part of a watersupply conduit. The head piece 1 is screwed into the sanitary fitting 6by means of key surfaces 12 which are provided on the outside of thehead piece 1 in the area of the external front face. In the area of thisfront face the head piece 1 is provided with a convergent edge 18 onwhich the spindle 2 is axially supported and radially located.

A hollow cylindrical part 19 adjoins the edge 18. At a distance from theedge 18 an internal ring 13, whose internal diameter is only slightlysmaller than that of the hollow cylindrical part 19, is provided in thehollow cylindrical part 19. From the internal ring 13 a stop 131 shapedlike part of a circle projects radially into the cavity of the headpiece 1. The purpose of the stop 131 is to limit the rotary movement ofthe spindle 2 and hence--in a way still to be described--the axialmovement of the valve piston 3. At a distance from the internal ring 13and on the side facing away from the convergent edge 18, an internalpolyhedron 14 is incorporated in the hollow cylindrical part 19. Theinternal polyhedron 14 is formed by a multiplicity of teeth 141 whichare designed in the front view in the manner of equilateral triangles.If the teeth 141 were evenly distributed over the entire periphery ofthe hollow cylindrical part 19, 40 teeth 141 would be provided in theembodiment. To simplify manufacture, however, the teeth 141 aredistributed over one section only, preferably over a quarter of theperiphery. The internal polyhedron 14 is provided for the axial locationof the valve piston 3 to prevent distortion and for the accurate fixingof its approach point to a seal 42.

On the water inlet side and adjoining the polyhedron 14, the cylindricalsurface 19 of the head piece is extended and in this part also it isused to locate and seal the valve piston 3 in respect of a movementthread still to be described. An internal annular groove 15 whichreceives the sealing ring 42 is set into this cylindrical surface 19 ata distance from the side facing away. This sealing ring 42 can have acircular, rectangular or lip-shaped cross-section, i.e. it can be atraditional sealing ring. On the side of the internal annular groove 15facing away from the front face of the head piece 1, the head piece 1has windows 17 for the water to pass through which are recessed in itswall and symmetrically distributed in the same transverse plane. Fourwindows 17 are provided in the embodiment. They are formed by fourlongitudinal ribs 16, each of which has an approximately trapezoidalcross-section which reduces towards the outside, with basic sides whichare rounded and correspond to the internal and external diameter of thecylindrical wall of the head piece. On the outside and approximatelyequidistant between internal ring 13 and internal polyhedron 14 the headpiece has an external flange 101 with which the head piece 1 rests onthe housing of the sanitary fitting after being screwed in. On its sidefacing the external thread 11 the external flange 101 has an annulargroove 102 to receive a sealing ring 41. This sealing ring 41 isarranged between the head piece 1 and the sanitary fitting 6 after thevalve upper part has been screwed in. The spindle 2 is essentiallydesigned to be solid--see FIGS. 1 and 2a-2c. Externally on its one frontface it is designed as a polyhedron 21 and internally it is providedwith a blind hole 22 with internal thread which form a receptacle forthe fixing of a rotary handle or lever which is not shown. On theoutside of the spindle 2 and at a distance from the receptacle is anannular surface 23 with which the spindle 2 is radially located on theedge 18 of the head piece 1. The annular surface 23 is interrupted by anannular groove which receives a sealing ring 43. Externally on the sideopposite the polyhedron 21 the spindle 2 is provided with an externalthread 24 representing a part of a movement thread 24, 32. Adjoining theannular surface 23, on the side facing the external thread 24 is aflange 25 which rests internally against the edge 18 of the head piece1, with a sliding disk 51 being inserted, and absorbs the axial pressurethat is generated when the spindle 2 is actuated. On the side facing thepolyhedron 21 is a recess 26 which receives a retaining ring 52 whichrests externally on the edge 18. The area between the flange 25 and theexternal thread 24 is designed in the manner of a rib 28. In the frontview of the spindle 2 the rib 28 is designed to be eccentric. Radiallyits one end forms the extension of the flange 25. Its other end projectsover the flange 25 and forms an external stop 27 which cooperates withthe internal stop 131 in the head piece 1. The transition between therib 28 and the external thread 24 is designed in the manner of a plate29 of small diameter.

On its one front face--see FIGS. 1 and 3--the valve piston 3 has anexternal polyhedron 31 with which the valve piston 3 is axially locatedin the internal polyhedron 14 of the head piece 1 and an internal thread32 representing the other part of the movement thread into which theexternal thread 24 of the spindle 2 is screwed. Like the internalpolyhedron 14 of the head piece 1 the external polyhedron 31 is formedby a multiplicity of teeth, 40 teeth in the embodiment, which aredesigned in the front view as equilateral triangles. A rotation of thespindle 2 by means of the rotary handle which is not illustrated isconverted into an axial movement of the valve piston 3 via the movementthread 24, 32 as well as the external polyhedron 31 and the internalpolyhedron 14. When this axial movement takes place the front face ofthe valve piston 3 facing the water inlet is raised or lowered inrelation to the sealing ring 42 which is retained in the internalannular groove 15 of the head piece 1 and rests against a valve face 62provided in a water inlet 61 of the sanitary fitting 6. The seal iseffected by means of the hydrostatic pressure. When this axial movementtakes place the valve piston 3 is also guided by means of an externalflange 36 moulded on adjacent to the external polyhedron 31 on the onehand and the cylindrical surface 19 in the head piece 1 on the otherhand. An annular groove 35 is provided in the external flange 36 toreceive a sealing ring 44. The sealing ring 44 causes the movementthread 24, 32 to lie in the sealed area. The grease required to operatethe movement thread 24, 32 is not affected by the water.

The axial movement of the valve piston 3 in the direction of the valveface 62 is limited by the stop 27 on the rib 28 of the spindle 2 incooperation with the stop 131 on the internal ring 13 of the headpiece 1. The stops 27, 131 come to rest when the spindle 2 is rotated inthe direction of closure. The rest position of the stops 27, 131 is theclosure position of the valve upper part. Through the multiplicity ofteeth of the external polyhedron 31, 40 teeth in the embodiment, and thepitch of the movement thread 24, 32, 2 mm in the embodiment, theapproach point of the valve piston 3 to the seal 42 can be fixed withgreat accuracy. At a pitch m and a number of teeth n the accuracy m/n inthe embodiment=2 mm/40=0.05 mm.

In the opposite direction--return stroke--also, the axial movement ofthe valve piston 3 is limited by the stop 27 on the rib 28 of thespindle 2 in cooperation with the stop 131 on the internal ring 13 ofthe head piece 1, in this case by the opposite stop surfaces comparedwith the stop surfaces for the closure movement. In the embodiment, theangle of rotation of the spindle 2 is set at 270° with the stop 131designed approximately in the shape of a quarter of a circle. The returnstroke of the valve piston 3 can be limited to below 270° by means of asetting screw and a stop pin in the spindle 2. It is then possible alsoto select the angle of rotation at 180° or 90°, for example, and thusadditionally to limit the volume flow.

The front face of the valve piston 3 facing the valve face 62 isdesigned in the manner of an unperforated plate 33. The surface of theplate 33 facing the valve face 62 is designed without a sealing ring. Atthe edge the plate 33 has a chamfer round it. The chamfer is providedfor reasons of flow technology: the noise generated when the valve opensand closes is minimized.

We claim:
 1. Valve upper part for fittings, in which an axially movable valve piston (3) and a rotary spindle (2) which are connected together via a thread (32; 14) are placed in a head piece (1), in which interlinking polyhedra (31; 14) are provided on the valve piston (3) and in the head piece (1) for axial placement and a stop (27; 131) is provided to limit the axial movement and in which a sealing ring (42) which projects beyond the front face of the head piece (1) facing the inlet and is designed on the projecting outer front face as a surface for its rest position on a valve face (62) of the fitting (6) is retained by the head piece (1), characterized in that the axial movement of the valve piston (3) is limited by a stop (131; 27) arranged internally in the head piece (1) and externally on the spindle (2), in the same cross-sectional plane, and that the internal polyhedron (14) of the head piece (1) and the external polyhedron (31) of the valve piston (3) is formed by teeth which are designed as equilateral triangles in the front view.
 2. Valve upper part according to claim 1, characterized in that at a distance from the external front face of the head piece (1) a stop (131) which is shaped like part of a circle and projects radially inwards is moulded on to its hollow cylindrical internal surface (19).
 3. Valve upper part according to claim 2, characterized in that a rib (28), at least one end of which projects radially over the contour of the spindle (2) and forms the second stop (27) is moulded on to the spindle (2) in the plane of the stop (131) shaped like part of a circle.
 4. Valve upper part according to claim 1, characterized in that the internal polyhedron (14) is incorporated in the hollow cylindrical internal surface (19) of the head piece (1) on the side of the stop (131) facing away from its external front face.
 5. Valve upper part according to claim 4, characterized in that the internal polyhedron (14) is formed by teeth (141) which are incorporated over only a section, preferably over a quarter, of the periphery of the hollow cylindrical internal surface (19).
 6. Valve upper part according to claim 1, characterized in that windows (17) symmetrically distributed in the same cross-sectional plane are recessed in the wall of the head piece (1) between the polyhedron (14) and the sealing ring (42).
 7. Valve upper part according to claim 6, characterized in that each window (17) is limited by two longitudinal ribs (16) each one of which has an approximately trapezoidal cross-section which reduces towards the outside, with basic sides which are rounded and correspond to the internal and external diameter of the wall of the head piece (1). 